


Kisumi is...

by cheerbits



Category: Free!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Childhood Friends, Feelings Realization, Friendship/Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:33:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28149153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheerbits/pseuds/cheerbits
Summary: Kisumi is interesting, and Asahi will never admit that out loud.
Relationships: Shigino Kisumi/Shiina Asahi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21
Collections: 2020 AsaKisu Charity 'zine Project: First of Many





	Kisumi is...

**Author's Note:**

> written for the [asakisu zine](https://akzine2020.tumblr.com/)!!! truly thankful for the amazing mods and people who organized it for giving me a chance to participate! 
> 
> (i uh also contemplated whether i should use my og ao3 account to post it since that was listed in the zine, though i thought it's probably better here where i'll put up my new stuff)

Kisumi is _interesting_ , and Asahi will never admit that out loud. There’s just something about the way he can’t place a permanent feeling for his new classmate while it’s easy with everyone else he befriends. Haruka’s cool, Makoto’s kind, Ikuya… has layers. But Kisumi? Asahi has never expected this from someone who appears so open and friendly and loud.

His first sighting of Kisumi says ‘he’s flashy’, cotton candy-colored hair and all, and their first conversation says ‘he’s annoying’. Asahi won’t forget how Kisumi butted in his swimmer-to-swimmer icebreaker with Haru in attempts to cajole them into joining the basketball club, or how Kisumi tried to recruit their other classmates into said club the same time Asahi was sharing why the swimming club was worth a try. And while Asahi believes in keeping his cool (despite what his Akane-oneesan may say about his temper), it’s hard to not be irritated even if Kisumi doesn’t seem to be doing this on purpose.

Or so he thinks, until Kisumi starts ruffling Asahi’s feathers with the widest smile he could wear. From trying to steal Haru as a lunch buddy, accusing Asahi of being a pervert, offering his lap for Asahi to sit, to laughing obnoxiously when Ikuya calls Asahi a monkey, Kisumi seems to thrive in Asahi’s distress. And how could he forget Kisumi using mental gymnastics to trick him into signing up for the basketball club? 

Asahi does have fair judgment though. The guy isn’t all eager talk, he’s actually great at the sport. He maneuvers the court better than everyone else and is mindful of his teammates, making sure they all have the chance to play too. He’d make a great team captain and wants to form a solid team of his own. Asahi can respect that. 

“We’d make a great team, won’t we? Better if we practice together in the basketball club!” Kisumi laughs. Asahi rolls his eyes, but maybe in another life where he liked basketball over swimming, he might consider Kisumi’s offer. 

**✿**

Kisumi is _persistent_ , and Asahi ends up getting dragged into playing basketball more often than he’d like. “I’m not even in your club, geez!” he chides over lunch, but it takes one dare over dozens of pleading for Asahi to cave.

In hindsight, he could’ve dodged this because he’s learned his classmate’s tricks in a span of one term. He could’ve followed Haru’s example of replying a deadpan ‘no’. “You just make it so easy for him,” Ikuya adds, his nonchalant gaze betrayed by his smug tone, as though Asahi needs more salt on the wound.

“Whatever,” he scoffs. “It’s just one game anyway. It’ll be a good warm up on Saturday before our training starts too.”

Ikuya raises a brow. “You know you owe him ice cream and another game if he wins, right?”

“Like I said, just one game,” he replies smugly. 

His friend sighs and wears his goggles. “Whatever floats your boat, Asahi.”

True to Ikuya’s doubt, one game becomes two. Kisumi has the footwork and coordination for every turn and throw and a better mastery of keeping the ball at his play. He doesn’t waste any opportunity to best Asahi, which… makes this all the more fun. Asahi appreciates that Kisumi plays seriously against him, never once saying Asahi’s going to lose because he’s not in their school’s basketball team.

“I still don’t get it, though,” Asahi admits. “Why'd you want to play basketball with me so badly?”

“Not just you, y’know. I asked Haru and Ikuya and Makoto too,” Kisumi grins.

“You don’t dare them. Can’t believe I owe you ice cream,” he groans. 

“Sorry, Asahi. If it makes you feel better, I’ll buy you ice cream too.”

“What’s the point of the dare if we’re just gonna buy ice cream for each other?”

Kisumi laughs, softer than his jovial cackles. “I just wanted to have fun with a friend. Like, an actual friend, not just a teammate. Thanks for giving me that.” 

Asahi blinks. “What’s wrong with your teammates?”

“Nothing! They’re all great, but when we practice, it’s all too serious. At least with you, I can let loose a bit,” Kisumi responds with a grin. “And I don’t mean you’re not a good player. You almost won our second match.”

He smirks, mentally patting himself on the back as he remembers his own good shots. “Told’ya if I joined the basketball club, they’d make me a regular immediately.”

“Then you should join next year!”

Kisumi’s laughter echoes in the school’s basketball gym as Asahi shakes his shoulders in annoyance, but that doesn’t stop him from meeting up with Kisumi after their respective club training to have ice cream together.

It doesn’t stop him from caving again when Kisumi asks if they can play again next Saturday, and the next, and the next. Asahi supposes it won’t hurt playing basketball with Kisumi from time to time. 

**✿**

Kisumi is _loud_ , and Asahi may have regrets with introducing him to Akane. The last thing he wants after their loss in the tournament are three hours of listening to them exchange embarrassing stories about him. Maybe Asahi should’ve taken the swimming team’s offer to dinner instead, but Kisumi wouldn’t be a part of it and Asahi doesn’t want to leave him hanging. 

Because as much as he hates Kisumi telling Akane how many times he’s burned pancakes whenever they cooked in class, he’s thankful that Kisumi still sticks with him regardless of his mishaps. He’s thankful that Kisumi compliments Asahi’s mental training despite his and Akane’s shared laughter over the image of Asahi chanting ‘I’m a genius’. He’s thankful that Kisumi has cheered him on during the swimming tournament earlier even though he has basketball practice scheduled.

“I’m really surprised someone who isn’t in the swim team or me is rooting for this kid,” Akane grins. She easily dodges Asahi’s kick from under the table. 

And of course Kisumi snickers at what she says, fanning the fire at the tips of Asahi’s ears. But before Asahi could bark back, Kisumi wraps an arm around his shoulders.

“He’s always so excited when he talks about swimming! And seeing him in action made me understand why,” Kisumi says. “He’s really cool when he swims!”

“Of course I am,” he proclaims, puffing his chest out with a smug look at his sister. Akane only rolls her eyes and lands a kick on Asahi’s shin, causing a round of laughter at the dinner table.

“The coolest swimmer of them all!” Kisumi snorts while clapping his hands.

Asahi pouts while rubbing his new sore spot, but doesn’t miss the fact that Kisumi called him ‘the coolest one of them all’. 

Whether it’s a joke or not, it’s still a first to hear anyone besides Akane say that, especially when someone like Haru is in his team.

**✿**

Kisumi is _thoughtful_ , and Asahi grasps this at an emotionally difficult time. When Haru suddenly quits the swimming club and Makoto follows suit, Asahi’s too shocked to even speak. He has too many questions, but not even his boisterous nature lets him say any of them out loud to either of his… _ex_ -teammates, especially when Ikuya has that covered.

“Do you wanna hang out later?” Kisumi asks, masking his concern well with a good-natured smile. “There’s this new ice cream flavor I wanna try.”

He doesn’t resist, thinking it’ll help keep his mind off things. Kisumi is curious too, for sure, but he trusts his friend won’t even attempt to pry any information from him. 

That trust doesn’t get broken. They take a walk, he lets Kisumi talk, and he does his best to listen. Kisumi always has a story to tell, and today he chooses to talk about a show both he and his dad love watching together. They end up eating ice cream at a nearby playground and talking until the sun sets.

“You should watch when you get home,” Kisumi says. “You’re all caught up thanks to my great storytelling.”

“Mmm, I should,” he hums.

Kisumi tilts his head slightly and gently pokes the skin between Asahi’s furrowed eyebrows. “You had a rough day, Asahi. Let yourself smile a little.”

Asahi takes a deep breath as he stares at Kisumi’s eyes.

“I… yeah, I wanna smile again,” he sighs. 

“Both of us do.” For the first time since they first met, Asahi notices Kisumi trying to hold his own smile for the both of them. 

He wants to apologize for worrying Kisumi, and for only realizing now that Kisumi’s the only one out of his Iwatobi friends who reaches out to him this way.

**✿**

Kisumi is his _closest friend_ in his short-lived stay in Iwatobi, and Asahi is scared of losing him because of distance. He knows Kisumi has promised to write to him as much as he can once Asahi moves away. It’s only been a week since his family has settled into their new home, but Asahi can’t help but worry even if he has just sent his first letters to his Iwatobi friends.

“Don’t worry,” he remembers Kisumi say. Teary-eyed, shaky-voiced Kisumi, who spoke calmly but cried more than Asahi expected him to. “I’m excited to have my first pen pal.”

“I can’t believe you,” had been Asahi’s reply, but he knew what Kisumi truly meant as they shared a long hug. 

Asahi literally stumbles nose-flat on the floor when his sister calls him to the living room because someone has addressed a letter to him.

“Geez, if I didn’t see it’s from Kisumi-kun, I would’ve thought—nevermind,” Akane mumbles.

**✿**

Kisumi is _constant_ , and Asahi remains at ease with this even when they haven’t seen each other for months. Or haven’t met up, rather, since Kisumi has made it a habit to attach a few pictures with every letter he sends. It’s easy to keep up after they started making phone calls too. He knows that Kisumi’s a regular in their basketball team now, that Kisumi’s favorite ‘chore’ is reading bedtime stories to his baby brother Hayato, and that Kisumi only hears about Haru from Makoto nowadays. 

“Wish I could say the same here. Makoto doesn’t write back anymore,” Asahi chuckles.

“I can tell him to,” Kisumi suggests.

“It’s alright. I hear about them from you.” 

Sometimes it feels like their friendship isn’t long-distance at all until one of them points it out.

Kisumi reminds Asahi again when he asks if he can visit before their last year in middle school starts. Asahi’s chest is filled to the brim with excitement.

**✿**

Kisumi is _visiting_ , and Asahi’s initial enthusiasm strangely shifts into nervousness. While most of his sleepovers were with his Iwatobi teammates, he had stayed over at Kisumi’s once. There’s nothing for him to be tense about.

He keeps telling himself that just as fervently as his ‘I’m a genius’ mantra, but Akane asking him why he looks constipated makes him lose it.

“D’you want, nee-chan?”

“It’s just Kisumi,” Akane says. 

“I know,” he snaps.

**✿**

Kisumi is _touchy-feely_ , and Asahi’s weird feeling in his gut keeps spurring. He greets Asahi with a hug that almost topples them onto the floor and hooks his arm around Asahi’s while roaming around their small neighborhood. The only time he isn’t latched onto Asahi is when they play one match of basketball in the local court.

Not like it helps, because it makes Asahi realize how different it still is to _be_ with Kisumi. Pictures and phone calls don’t do justice framing the range of excitement Kisumi’s barely deepening voice and crescent-smiling eyes can express. Kisumi’s laugh is more annoying in real time, but Asahi won’t have it any other way. 

Pictures and phone calls don’t give him warm hugs or hold his wrist gently either, nor do they make his heart want to shatter his ribcage when he wakes up in the middle of the night, with bated breath and face to face with a sleeping Kisumi.

**✿**

Kisumi is not _just Kisumi anymore_ , and Asahi wonders how long the butterflies would stay.


End file.
